Spartan XC Regional Preview and Meet Information

Nov 13, 2014

PELLA, Iowa – The Spartans are geared up and ready to go for the 2014 NCAA Division III Central Regional Championships hosted appropriately by Central College. Coach Gunnelson’s crew will take on a familiar A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex course that they previously raced at earlier this year and at the Iowa Conference Championships in 2013.

Momentum is on their side after securing one of their best performances two weeks ago at the IIAC Championships in Indianola. The pair of fifth-place IIAC finishes is a step in the right direction for a talented squad that graduates one senior between the 14 projected regional varsity runners.

Junior Payton Nevills will lead the men into battle after securing a 17th-place finish at the IIAC Championships. Freshman Alec Bass paces the rest of the Spartan-5 after establishing the second-fastest time in UD history (26:17) in September.

Lead women’s runner, sophomore Fabiola Ortiz, continues to improve by leaps and bounds as she aims for a spot at Nationals. She became the second IIAC first-teamer in school history after placing 6th (23:18) at the IIAC Championships.

Coach Gunnelson on the status of his team:

READINESS and COMPETITION"We're very excited to race this weekend. This will be the best competition and running atmosphere we've seen all year. The Central Region is tough with 4 of the top 25 teams in the country on both the men's and women's sides. We're fit, prepared, most importantly healthy and will perform well."

WEATHER"There's no doubt it will be cold and most likely snowing but the weather won't really affect us. We ran in similar conditions at the Warrior Invite earlier this year and had a great meet. They know it's certainly not a hindrance but just another opportunity to get out and compete."

EXPECTATIONS and FAMILIARITY"Saturday is going to be a great day for the Spartans. We've run this course already and all of our veterans competed on this course last year in a championship setting at the Iowa Conference meet. So the familiarity with this course will certainly play to our advantage."

The Spartans already have a familiarity with the course after two races at Central in the last 12 months. Their resumes below:

Spartan MEN

Year

Meet

Place and Time

Weather

Nevills

JR

9/6/14 DI* 11/2/13 IIAC**

16th, 27:01 26th, 26:56

*Dutch Invitational 75 degrees Calm

Bass

FR

DI

23rd, 27:27

Murray

JR

DI IIAC

54th, 29:10 92nd, 29:26

Lindsay

FR

DI

32nd, 28:02

Berland

SO

DI

67th, 30:23

**IIAC Championships 46 degrees Scattered clouds Wind 15 mph

Zittritsch

JR

IIAC

79th, 28:46

Helzer

FR

DI

66th, 30:23

Dolan

FR

--

--

Ploenzke

JR

DI IIAC

92nd, 31:38 100th, 29:58

Spartan WOMEN

Year

Meet

Place and Time

Weather

Ortiz

SO

9/6/14 DI* 11/2/13 IIAC**

9th, 23:54 30th, 24:43

*Dutch Invitational 75 degrees Calm

Busjahn

JR

IIAC

43rd, 25:09

Nava

SR

DI IIAC

49th, 26:04 34th, 24:51

Mackenburg

FR

DI

72nd, 27:03

Sears

FR

DI

33rd, 25:20

**IIAC Championships 46 degrees Scattered clouds Wind 15 mph

Wenthold

JR

DI

59th, 26:21

Brooks

FR

DI

55th, 26:15

Todman

SO

DI IIAC

105th, 28:49 110th, 29:09

Holen

SR

DI IIAC

66th, 26:38 89th, 27:03

The CourseThe 6,000-meter and 8,000-meter courses both follow the same loops until the “final finish loop”, from which the 6k will break off and the 8k will continue onto its 3rd loop. Upon the 8k’s completion of the third loop it will then follow the same final finish loop as the 6k. There are three loops on the course. A large loop, a small loop, and a finish loop. The 6k includes two large loops and a finish loop. The 8k includes two large loops, one small loop, and the finish loop.

The Start The starting line has room for 35 or more boxes of 2.5 meters each, and sits at the bottom of a gradual incline. There is a slight veer at 204 meters, and the first turn is 407 meters into course.

The Loops The large loop includes two hills which are about 100 meters (each) and one hill that is approximately 200 meters long. The loop follows along the tree line and prairie grass, as well as winds into a wooded area that is covered by shade and follows along a creek. The course wraps around a practice softball field and continues along the tree line and prairie grass.

The small loop has one hill that is approximately 200 meters long. This loop follows about 80% of the large loop, but cuts out the section around the practice field. The finish loop has one hill that is approximately 50 meters long.